SARASOTA, FL (WWSB) - A Sarasota man is facing felony charges of Aggravated Animal Cruelty after deputies say he cut off a portion of his dog's tail with branch clippers.
Deputies arrested 77-year-old Pablo Vega-Padron on Tuesday after he admitted to Animal Services officers that he had cut off his dog's tail.
According to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, an investigation began on Aug. 17 after Animal Services was contacted by a neighbor expressing concerns for Vega-Padron's Chihuahua-terrier mix, Randy.
When authorities arrived on the scene, they found Randy with several bandages on his tail and front legs. At the time, Vega-Padron explained the dog's tail was infected, so animal services officers told him to seek veterinarian care for the dog.
A few hours later, officers say they were notified by Parkway Animal Hospital in Sarasota that removal of Randy's bandages revealed a portion of his tail was missing.
Deputies say they recovered the dismembered tail and branch clippers at Vega-Pardon's home. Through interviews, Vega-Padron admitted to deputies he cut the dog’s tail off because it appeared to be rotting.
Veterinary staff confirmed the tail suffered a fracture from trauma and should have been surgically removed by medical professionals.
Vega-Pardon was arrested and released on $1,500 bond. His first court appearance is set for Sept. 29.
Randy has since been adopted and is expected to make a full recovery, according to the sheriff's office.
Copyright 2018 WWSB. All rights reserved.
